Shikigami
NOTE: Anyone who'd like to make a Cosmic Shikigami must get permission from the author beforehand. One author can only have a single Cosmic Shikigami unless they attain the parchment for the other one. Also, in order to make an Unknown Shikigami, you must get the concept approved by the author as well. Shikigami (式神, Ceremonial God) are a unique race of Magical beings that hail from a world known as the Shikigami World. Like Celestial Spirits, Shikigami can be conjured to the real world through a magic known as Ceremonial Manifestation Magic. The medium of this magic utilizes parchments of paper called Ofuda (御札, Honorable Charm), which have separate classes dependent on the inscription and material they are made out of. Shikigami can take upon a variety of forms and have numerous abilities dependent on their class: Cosmic and Earthly Shikigami are the two classes available. Because each Cosmic Shikigami is designated by one of the animals of the , and have their respective elemental attribute, there are only 12 in existence. Notably, unlike the Earthly Shikigami, the parchments required to summon the Cosmic Shikigami are incapable of being replicated. Thus, they are hidden among families and various other locations appropriate to the elemental nature of the Shikigami, until they are found by a Ceremonial Manifestation Mage user. Contracts and Rules Ofuda can be attained through a variety of methods. One can forge them themselves through assistance from a Charmsmith (札鍛冶, Fudakaji), purchase them from a specific store, or in the case of Cosmic Shikigami, find them in their hiding spots or gain them from other users. When one attains an Ofuda, they simply channel magical power into it and summon the designated spirit to that Ofuda. Notably, when one deals with Earthly Shikigami, the initial result is varied as there is no specific command for any specific Shikigami to appear. This is because of the nature of Shikigami, who live in specific districts and families dependent on their elemental affinity and physiology. When one summons a Shikigami for the first time, they are immediately provided with the option of making a Vow of Exchange (応酬の約束, Ōshū no Yakusoku). This Vow of Exchange ascertains the loyalty of the Shikigami to the user, and makes their relationship become reciprocal. When the user provides the Shikigami the ability to retain in through their Magic, the Shikigami in turn follows their commands in any way that is possible. Unlike the Celestial Spirit contracts, there are no specific days which the Shikigami can or cannot be summoned, although higher-class Shikigami tend to create such conditions as a means to pester their summoner slightly; albeit, they still follow orders to the letter. Breaking of this contract causes the Shikigami and summoner to have their bond broken, and the Ofuda's pattern is subsequently "reset", causing it to summon a different Shikigami to the one that the user possessed beforehand. Notably, Shikigami will likely not pledge a Vow of Exchange to a summoner who has broken it beforehand. Shikigami Conversion Shikigami Conversion (式神変換, Shikigami Henkan) is a unique process in which a Summoner with enough training may utilize a method known as the Shikigami Conversion Spell (式神変換の術, Shikigami Henkan no Jutsu) in order to convert a living creature into a Shikigami. The process is arduous and only the most skilled of Summoners may perform it with enough skill to successfully pull it off without causing the creature in question to become a mindless slave. Upon turning into a Shikigami, the creature has a magical contract that binds themselves to the Summoner. Furthermore, they attain a biological immortality very similar to that of standard Shikigami, and will only die if they do not have magical power from the Summoner or aren't returned to the Shikigami World occasionally. Recipients of the Shikigami Conversion, especially humans, are difficult to discern by magic due to the original magical signature being mixed with that of the Summoner. Potent sensors of magical power can tell the difference quite easily, however. Converted Shikigami are of their own class, and are generally thought to be made as a curse, punishment, or in a rare case, a bid for the survival of an individual. Many powerful Summoners of old have been kept as Converted Shikigami, being summoned in the rare danger of an invasion. Converted Shikigami are generally quite potent, due to holding the magical power and any abilities associated with their former lives. Therefore, they are commonly seen as an illicit way to gain powerful Shikigami by those with heinous intentions. Shikigami Fusion Known Shikigami Unknown Classifications Cosmic Shikigami NOTE: The elemental affinities of each Shikigami are derived from their Fixed Element in the , and are influenced by the philosophy. Therefore, these are not subject to change. However, any sub-elements that the Shikigami may have can be accessed through the character (and user)'s preferred taste. Any specialization is limited to one or two sub-elements, any more than that would require reasoning and permission from the author. Earthly Shikigami List of Converted Shikigami Elemental Affinity Elemental Affinity (要素親近感 Yōso Shinkinkan) is something that all Shikigami possess, whether they be Cosmic or Earthly in nature. Dependent on their form, as well as their place of growing up in the Shikigami World, a Shikigami's elemental attribute may differ. Each elemental affinity provides a Shikigami to specialize in a Sub-Element (副要素 Fukuyōso); a manifestation of the element within the corporeal world. Most Earthly Shikigami only master a few sub-elements, and the Shikigami train in the ones that they have specialized in. However, Cosmic Shikigami are unique - and selected - due to their complete reign over the element and all of its sub-elements, therefore granting them enormous power and variety in combat. However, the Summoner can only access a portion of this power, and can only wield a single sub-element and master it before branching off to another one. This helps the Summoner conserve magic, while also not causing extensive destruction of the environment surrounding them. Color (色, Iro), Shape (形, Katachi) and Cardinal direction (基点, Kiten) are three aspects of the Shikigami's Ofuda, each of which are required in order to shape and conjure a specifically desired elemental Shikigami with a certain form. However, even if the alignment of the Ofuda are correct, the procured Shikigami is not a hundred percent the one that the Summoner desires. Trivia *The concept of Shikigami and Ceremonial Manifestation Magic comes from the real-life, antiquated practice of summoning . *While the translation of Shikigami is a Ceremonial God, the entities are very spirit-like in nature. *The concept was approved by Perchan before its creation. *Anyone who'd like to make a Cosmic Shikigami must get permission from the author beforehand. *It is a common misconception that Shikigami Magic can summon these beings. Due to the nature of Shikigami Magic solely being to infuse magic into parchments of paper to achieve different tasks, this isn't the case. Category:Ash9876 Category:Race Category:Shikigami